Local Kugas and Fiesta STs, other overseas models recalled over engine fire risk

FORD Australia has issued a recall for two vehicles, the Kuga and Fiesta ST, over a fault with the 1.6-litre EcoBoost engine that can potentially cause a fire in the engine bay.

The local recall concerns 4850 examples of the Kuga built between December 2012 and July 2014 and 400 Fiesta STs built between March 2013 and November 2014, after seven separate examples of the Australian 1.6-litre Kuga caught fire.

The risk stems from localised overheating of the engine cylinder head due to a lack of coolant circulation, which may cause the cylinder head to crack, leading to an oil leak.

If oil leaks into the engine bay it can be ignited and cause a fire, as happened in the Kuga. There have so far been no recorded examples of the Fiesta ST catching fire.

Ford has said that parts are not yet available for repair and that it will contact owners of affected vehicles via mail when parts do become available.

In the meantime, owners are advised to check and maintain proper engine coolant levels as specified in the owner’s handbook, and if their vehicle shows symptoms of overheating or a coolant leak they should contact their preferred Ford dealer to request a service for diagnosis and repair.

In North America, Ford has enacted a mass recall of 230,756 vehicles across the US, Canada and Mexico, including not only the Fiesta ST and US-spec Kuga (called the Escape) but also the Fusion sedan and Transit Connect van.

In the US and Canada, the fault has resulted in 29 instances of a fire, however no injuries have been reported.

Australian Ford owners looking for more information can head to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) product safety website.